Four California men arrested after 'plot to join al Qaeda'

Four California men have been charged with plotting to kill Americans by
joining al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The men are accused of following the doctrine of the late al Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki.Photo: AP

5:47AM GMT 20 Nov 2012

Laura Eimiller, a spokesman for the FBI, said the defendants were under arrest for plotting to bomb government facilities and public places.

According to the federal complaint, 34-year-old Sohiel Omar Kabir introduced two other California men to the radical Islamist doctrine of Anwar al-Awlaki, a deceased al Qaeda leader.

Authorities allege Kabir traveled to Afghanistan and communicated with the two - 23-year-old Ralph Deleon and 21-year-old Miguel Alejandro Santana Vidriales - so he could arrange for their travel to join him and meet with his contacts for terror organisations.